The Wooden Door
by depptized
Summary: Kara moves to Tashmore Lake and falls in love with an aspiring writer, but as secrets of his past begin to rise, will she be able to escape in time?


'I buried them in the garden. Red, yellow and pink roses have already begun to grow over them. Pretty soon there will be a whole florist, with every kind of flower you can imagine. Their bodies will be so rooted that their identity will never be known. Give it a year or two and there will be nothing left of them." Morton Rainey put his fingers to rest and smiled. He was almost finished with his book. Just a few more finishing touches and his book would be finished.  
  
Morton pulled out a drawer and reached for his cigarettes which he only smoked when he was in deep thought or under a ton of stress. He found an empty package and threw it down on top of the desk, "I knew I shouldn't have smoked that last one." he mumbled leaning back in his chair. He sat there for a moment in thought and then he stood up and pushed his hair behind his ears. He grabbed his keys off of the desk and trotted downstairs and out the front door to his Jeep Cherokee.  
  
Tashmore Lake was a busy little town as always. Everyone hurried along the sidewalks visiting the different stores. Morton parked his car and walked into the Tashmore Lake Café where he bought his cigarettes and groceries. Everyone had been friendly to him a year ago, but now everyone suspected him of murder. He smiled knowing what they were thinking as he walked throughout the store. Maybe they were right and maybe they were wrong. He'd never tell.  
  
"Afternoon Mr. Rainey." the cashier said very unkindly. She wouldn't have said anything to him at all if it weren't for it being a part of her job.  
  
"Well, good afternoon Ellis. How are you doing?" Morton asked with a friendly smile and a high spirit.  
  
"Will this be all today sir?" Ellis asked ignoring his questions and saying only the things required of her.   
  
Mort smirked, "Yes miss." He nodded his head and then looked around the store as Ellis checked his groceries out. Mort's eye caught a glimpse of a lovely, brown headed woman picking up a few maps at the Visitor's Center in the corner of the store. He kept his eyes on her, but spoke to Ellis, "Throw a pack of Mall Pall in there too. I'll be right back." Mort left the counter and walked to the woman, stopping right beside her, "These maps are so confusing." he said.  
  
The woman looked up and smiled, "All maps are confusing to me. I thought I'd try my luck."   
  
Mort nodded, "Are you just visiting?" he asked.  
  
"No, I actually just bought a house on Nobile Road." she replied and then put out her hand, "My name is Kara."  
  
Morton shook her hand, "Nice to meet you Kara. My name is Morton or just Mort if you prefer."  
  
"Yes, I bought my house over the internet. I've never even been here, and I'm just a teeny bit lost." she smirked, "At least I'm in the right town. You wouldn't happen to know where Nobile Road is would you?"  
  
"I actually live on Nobile Road." he replied, "I think you must have bought the house right next to mine. Lovely house. Lovely choice."  
  
"Oh really? That's great. You wouldn't mind showing me how to get there would you?"  
  
"No, not at all. Just let me grab my few groceries and we'll go." Morton went back to the counter and payed for his groceries and then Kara and Mort walked out the door together.  
  
Kara followed Mort to Nobile Drive, and sure enough her house was right beside Morton's. It was a beautiful log cabin house that sat right on the lake. There was a screened in porch, and a gravel driveways lined with pansies of different colors.   
  
"It's beautiful." Kara said as Mort walked from his house after parking his car.  
  
"Yeah. It was always my favorite house. I almost bought it but I settled for that dump over there." he said pointing at his house.  
  
"That's not a dump." Kara said walking toward his house, "I'm an interior and exterior decorator. I could fix it up for you."  
  
Morton followed her over to his house as well, "Just don't dress it up all pretty or anything."  
  
"Don't worry. Look, you already have a rose garden started." Kara walked over to the garden and touched one of the pretty pink roses, "Beautiful garden. If I didn't know any better I'd say you were a gardener. I bet you hire someone to do this for you."  
  
Morton shook his head, "No, actually I planted them all myself. In honor of my ex-wife."  
  
"What happened to her?" Kara asked turning from the rose and looking back at Morton.  
  
"She died." he replied solemnly.  
  
"Oh. I'm terribly sorry. Was she sick?" Kara asked looking at Mort with a caring sparkle in her eyes.  
  
Morton saddened his eyes, "She was murdered." he replied, "They never found the body."  
  
"That's horrible. Morton I'm so sorry." Kara covered her mouth. She had never met anyone who knew of murder first hand.  
  
"It was a year ago." he said, "Amy was beautiful and no one could ever replace her." he said with a slight shrug.  
  
Kara nodded realizing he didn't want to talk about it any longer, "Well, Mort, I believe I will get to my house and unpack."  
  
"Would you mind if I helped?" he asked, "I have nothing else to do and I really would love to know you more."  
  
Kara smiled, "No, I don't mind. Four hands are better than two." she winked and then started back toward her new house.  
  
They began unpacking her clothes and other belongings which wasn't much because the house came furnished, complete with linens and bed spreads. That was one major plus for the house. Kara just wanted away from her old life and into a new one. She didn't care what she had to live in or how much money she had to spend.  
  
"So, what's your last name Mort?" Kara asked as she unpacked things into the bookshelf.  
  
Mort sat out her picture frames as he replied, "My last name would be Rainey. What about yours?"  
  
"Kara Kneely." she said and then placed another book on the shelf, "Let's play twenty questions. I'll ask you twenty and you ask me twenty."  
  
"Okay. You go first." he said with smile.  
  
"Okay, and nothing too personal." she winked again and then began, "Where are you from?"  
  
"Tashmore Lake."  
  
"How old are you?"  
  
"39"  
  
"Do you have kids?"  
  
He laughed, "What?"  
  
"Do you have kids." she repeated.  
  
"I had a kid. Amy lost it before it was born."  
  
She felt her heart sink, "Mort, I'm sorry I didn't know." she said softly. Morton nodded and then shrugged, giving a hand single for her to continue. She nodded, "What's your middle name?"  
  
"Lee."  
  
"What's your natural hair color?"  
  
"Brown."  
  
"Would you ever marry again?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Have you had a girlfriend since your wife died?"  
  
"No."  
  
Kara nodded, "Okay I'm out of questions. Was that twenty?"  
  
Mort laughed, "No, I don't think it was."  
  
"Well, I have no other questions. Your turn." she shoved another book on the book shelf and she laughed to herself noticing she had absent mindedly put the books in alphabetical order.   
  
Mort agreed and went on, "How old are you?"  
  
"23"  
  
"Do you have a boyfriend?"  
  
"I had a fiancé."  
  
"Oh, and what became of him?"   
  
"I killed him." she joked, "I'm just kidding. He cheated on me." she said with a bit of sadness in her eyes.  
  
"Do you have kids?" he asked feeling her pain as she spoke of being cheated on.  
  
"No I do not."  
  
"Where are you from?"  
  
"Panama City, Florida."  
  
"What do you do for a living?"  
  
"I'm a writer."  
  
"Oh, and so am I." Mort replied, "And it seems I am out of questions as well."  
  
"Are you hungry?" she asked tucking away the last of the books.  
  
"Is that part of your twenty questions?" he smirked.  
  
She smiled, "I guess it could be."  
  
He nodded, "Yes, I am hungry. Maybe we could go back to my place. I cook a good corn casserole."  
  
"Oh, I'd hate to make you go to such trouble. I have bread to make sandwiches." she said.  
  
"I'd love to treat you to my casserole. You have had a tiresome day."  
  
Kara nodded, "If you insist."  
  
"I insist." he winked at her and stood up helping her up off of the floor, "No need to lock up. We'll be right next door." he said as they walked out the door.  
  
Morton's house was lovely and very well decorated even though he didn't think so. He seated Kara down in his study so she could see his books that he had written.  
  
"You have written a lot." Kara said, "I'll never be able to write this many books." she said amazed at the shelves of books.  
  
"You are young." he replied, "When you're my age, you will have just as many." he smiled at her and for a quick second was lost in her enchanting eyes. He reached up and stroked her hair, and then when he realized what he was doing, he quickly dropped his hand, "I'm sorry." he apologized.  
  
She smiled, "It's okay." she stared gracefully into his eyes, "I think I like you Mort." she said softley.  
  
He smiled as well, "I think I like you too." he stroked her hair again, "Can I kiss you?"  
  
"I don't mind." she said with a soft shrug.  
  
Mort smiled nervously and then leaned forward and kissed her gently. At first he kissed her very slowly and then quicker as they indulged into deeper kisses. Mort pulled away and looked at her, breathless and speechless.  
  
Kara smiled, "Well, that was certainly a fairy tale kiss." she said in a low whisper.  
  
Morton smiled, "That's the first time I've kissed a girl...woman...since my wife." he said running his finger down the soft skin that covered her arm.  
  
Kara nodded, and didn't know what else to say. She was relieved when the phone rang and it broke the awkward silence.  
  
"I'll get that." Morton said leaving her with a smile and walking into the living room to retrieve the phone.  
  
Kara folded her hands and looked around at the study. She looked at the open lap top computer on the desk and walked over to it. There was a story typed up. It looked like the end of a story. Kara began reading it, "I buried them in the garden. Red, yellow and pink roses have already begun to grow over them. Pretty soon there will be a whole florist, with every kind of flower you can imagine. Their bodies will be so rooted that their identity will never be known." Kara stopped reading. He had described the rose garden that was just outside his house. She shrugged realizing that she used her own surroundings as places in her stories as well.  
  
"Sorry about that." Morton said walking into the room, "Sales call." he rolled his eyes and then noticed she was standing near his computer, "Oh, I see you've found my latest story. It's almost done. Just a few more paragraphs and it'll be finished."  
  
"It's very interesting. I noticed you described the rose garden in your story as the same one you have outside."  
  
Morton nodded, "I like to use my own surroundings with my stories." he said.  
  
"So do I. It makes it a lot easier." she nodded.  
  
"Well, I do believe that casserole is ready. Are you ready to eat?" Morton held out his hand for her to take.  
  
"I am indeed." she took his hand and walked with Mort to the kitchen where he pulled a chair out for her and seated her like a gentleman.  
  
- - - - - - -- - - - ----- - - - - - - - -- - -   
  
Kara was laughing so hard she was crying as she held onto the piece of bread with two fingers, "Do that again Mort." she said, "That southern accent, it's hilarious."  
  
Morton smiled, "I didn't think it was that funny. Geez, what did I put in the casserole?" he asked looking at his food strangely.  
  
"No, I'm sorry. I'm easily entertained." she said trying to calm down a bit, "But you have to do that accent again, and then I'll shut-up."  
  
Morton laughed, "Fine." he started to do the southern accent but he cracked, "I can't do it with you staring at me!"   
  
"I'm sorry, but you're so frickin' cute when you talk. Come on...close your eyes." she said laughing and taking a big bite of her bread.  
  
Morton closed his eyes, "Nope, now see that won't work, because now I can't see you."  
  
"So what. I thought you said you couldn't do it with someone staring at you."  
  
"I can't."  
  
"Then what's the problem?"  
  
Morton laughed and leaned forward kissing her softly, "That's the problem." he said, "I can't imagine that I'm kissing you."  
  
Kara blushed, "Mort." she said in a whisper and for a second she was lost in his eyes again. They were beautiful, yet dark and mysterious. A secret was lying within them. A secret that wasn't meant to come out. She touched his hair gently, "I have to go home now." she said standing up slowly.  
  
"Why do you have to leave?" he asked standing with her.  
  
"I'm tired Mort."  
  
"You can sleep here. It's dark out anyway. It's not safe."  
  
She smiled, "I'll be fine." she kissed him, "Walk me home."  
  
He nodded, "Okay, but you call me if you need me tonight. I'll be there in a split second."  
  
"I know, and I will." she took Mort's hand and they walked out of the house.  
  
Morton held her tightly as they walked back to her house, and when they got inside the house Morton checked all of the rooms to make sure they were safe, "I just want to be sure. All kinds of creeps sneak into places around in the woods."  
  
Kara nodded, "I know, but you're not going to do this every time you bring me home are you? I'm a big girl. I promise." she said with a slight smirk.  
  
Morton realized he was being a bit silly, "I'm sorry." he smiled at her, "Okay. I'll see you in the morning. You wanted to go back into town and get some groceries right?"  
  
"Yeah. I didn't get anything today. Thought it might be a good idea to put some things into my refrigerator." she smiled.  
  
"Okay, well...good night." he kissed her one last time, "Call me if you need me. I'm like 100 feet away from you."  
  
She laughed, "I know. Now go before I change my mind." she said pushing him toward the door.  
  
"Oh maybe I should stay." he said joking.  
  
"Go!" she laughed and pushed him out the door. She watched him walk back to his house and then she closed her door and locked it. She wanted to call him back over. It was a little scary living in a new place, in the woods, by yourself. But this was her new house and it was something she needed to get over.  
  
The morning sun bursted through the tightly closed blinds. Morton pushed his eye lids down farther trying to keep out the sun, but nothing could keep out the natural light. He rolled over with a slight groan and slowly opened his eyes. He lay there for a second and then sat up. He smiled slightly, remembering Kara; the beautiful girl he had met at Tashmore Café the day before. It appeared that she had made it through the night, by herself, in a new house. She hadn't called him in the middle of the night or anything.   
  
Mort stepped out of bed and into the shower and then he dressed himself. He was hungry, but he decided he would take Kara out to breakfast and then show her around town. He picked up the phone and called Kara to see if she was up. If not, he was giving her a wake up call.  
  
The phone screamed loudly in Kara's ear. She groaned and pulled the pillow over her head to try and drown out the noise. After a few more rings she pushed the pillow off of her head and answered the phone, "Hello?" she answered softly still in a slight sleep.  
  
"Good morning princess." Morton's voice was suave and music to Kara's ears.  
  
Kara couldn't help but smile, "Good morning my frog." she joked.  
  
"Just one more kiss from you and I'll be a handsome prince." he smiled.  
  
Kara laughed, "Oh, then you better come over right now."  
  
Mort laughed as well, "Are you up?"  
  
"No, I'm still in bed." she replied, "You woke me up."  
  
"It's 10 o'clock." he replied, "It's bout time you get your lazy butt up."   
  
She laughed, "I moved literally across the country yesterday I think I have a right to sleep till 10 o'clock."  
  
"I'm just kidding with you. Listen, you want to go into town and grab some breakfast? I thought I'd show you around the place."  
  
"Yeah that sounds good." she replied, feeling the drowsiness of sleep begin to over come her again.  
  
"You sound like you're fixing to fall asleep again." he said.  
  
There wasn't an answer.  
  
"Kara?"  
  
Kara had fallen asleep again, still holding the phone to her ear.  
  
Morton hung up the phone and slipped on his shoes. He grabbed his keys and walked out the door. He knew she had fallen asleep and he couldn't help but smile. Morton walked through the door of her house and frowned when he realized she had left it unlocked. He walked into her bedroom and saw that she had dropped the phone and pulled the covers over her body. He walked over to the bed and started pulling the covers back, "Kara..." he said.  
  
Kara reached for the blankets that he was pulling away from her so that she could pull them back, "It's cold."she whispered still half asleep. She clutched onto the blankets and kept pulling at them, but Mort wouldn't let her have them.  
  
"You have to get up Kara." Mort said now laughing.  
  
Kara's eyes finally opened, "You got here fast." she said, "I'm supposed to be getting ready aren't I?"  
  
Morton nodded dropping the blankets, "Yes you are my dear." he smirked.  
  
Kara grabbed the blankets and pulled them back over her head, and then tucked the blanket under her body so he could pull them off of her again, "Come back later." she whispered.  
  
Morton got on the bed and started pulling the blankets away again, "It's later." he said, "Now get up."  
  
"No." she said pulling at the blankets to keep them around her.  
  
He was laughing now, "Kara." he whined.  
  
She finally pushed the blankets off of her, "Fine."  
  
Mort smiled and kissed her.  
  
"I've only known you like a day and you're in my bed." she said with a chuckle.  
  
"Is that a problem?" he asked.  
  
"No. If I had to have anyone in my bed it would be you." she kissed him back, "You're handsome...and not too big." she smirked.  
  
"Handsome and not too big. Not too big in which way?"  
  
She laughed and smacked his arm, getting out of bed, "I'll take a quick shower and then I'll be ready to go." she grabbed a towel from the closet and disappeared into the bathroom.  
  
Morton got out of the bed and made it up. He opened the blinds to her room and turned on the lights to make it look beautiful. Morton looked at a picture on her bedside table. One he hadn't seen when he was getting pictures out yesterday to help her unpack. In the picture was Kara and a handsome young man. They were both smiling and their eyes were bright with passion. Something told Mort that this male figure in the picture was Kara's ex-fiancé. He frowned at the picture and then jumped when Kara walked out of the bathroom. A light blue towel was wrapped around her body, and her face was already shining with cleanliness. A faint smell of strawberry could be sensed. Morton smiled. She was perfect. Absolutely perfect.  
  
"Okay, now you have to get out of my room. I'm not getting dressed in front of you." she smiled.  
  
He nodded, "I understand." he started out the door.  
  
"Oh, Mort..."  
  
He turned around, "Yeah?"  
  
"Thank you for making up my bed. I always hate doing that." she smiled and then shooed him on out the door.  
  
Morton and Kara held hands as they walked down the streets of the busy Tashmore Avenue. Kara noticed people were staring at them and she wasn't exactly sure why. The people's eyes looked as if they themselves were uncomfortable at the site of Morton Rainey. Was it because he had a girl at his arm? Kara wasn't sure. She dropped her head to the side to look at Morton, "If I didn't know any better, I'd say everyone in this town had something against you." she said very solemnly.  
  
Morton nodded, "They do." he said as if he didn't really care.  
  
"What is it?" she asked curiously.  
  
"Ever since Amy disappeared they all seem to think that I killed her. I of coarse don't believe that. In fact I know that I didn't. A man named John Shooter did that, and they can pull enough proof out on him to put him behind bars."  
  
"John Shooter." she said aloud, "Does he live around here?"  
  
"Nope. He lives in Mississippi." Morton replied, "He harassed me for about a month or so, and then Amy ended up dead and he left me alone. That's why I think he killed her."  
  
Kara nodded, "Have you heard from him since?"  
  
"No. He doesn't come around. He wants to see me in jail before he'll come back around."  
  
Kara stopped walking, "I think I need to sit down for a second." she said breathlessly.  
  
Morton still held her hand, "Are you alright?" he asked.  
  
"Yeah. I just...I have a touch of asthma and sometimes if I walk a good bit, it irritates my lungs. That's all." she said wheezing a bit.   
  
Mort sat her down on the bench nearby and he sat beside her, "Do you have an inhaler or anything?"  
  
Kara shook her head, "Not with me. I'm stupid. I never carry the blasted thing with me. I always leave it at home."  
  
He smiled, "It's okay. Just breathe in and out. Breathe." he said still holding her hand.  
  
Kara was so taken by Morton's incredibly, mysterious, good looks that she could hardly breathe around him anyway. She smiled, "I'm sorry. I feel so silly just sitting here in the middle of town wheezing like a smoke addict."  
  
Morton nodded, "Don't feel silly." he smiled, "I've seen even stranger things on the street. One time I saw a man running butt naked down 5th avenue over there."  
  
Kara laughed, "No you didn't."  
  
"I swear!" he said holding up his hands, "Of coarse I was looking in a mirror too."  
  
Kara laughed harder, "You were running butt naked down 5th avenue?"  
  
Morton nodded, "That was back in the teenage years."  
  
"Oh I see....I wouldn't mind seeing that now." she joked.  
  
"Nah...I'm too old now. They'd arrest me for causing harm to people's eyes." he winked at her.  
  
"You're not old." she said, "You're middle aged."  
  
"Easy for you to say. You're 23 years old." he smiled.  
  
"Does it bother you Mort?" she asked serious now.  
  
"Does what bother me?" he replied.  
  
"The age difference between us? There's almost twenty years between us in case you haven't done the math."  
  
Morton shrugged, "I don't care. I like you. I know that much." he smiled and touched her hair again.  
  
Kara's wheezing had slacked off and she smiled at him, "I don't know if this will work between us."  
  
Morton frowned, "Why do you say that?"  
  
"My asthma is bound to get worse. Because every time I'm around you, I can't breathe." she smiled at her cheap excuse for a pick up line.  
  
Morton's eyes glistened, "That was cute." he said, "But you had me scared there for a second."  
  
She touched his hair as well, "I'm sorry." she leaned forward and kissed him, "Shall we continue down the street?"  
  
He nodded, "If you're alright."  
  
"I'm fine." she smiled and Morton helped her up. Morton and Kara continued their way down the street and by the evening time they stopped at a restaurant to eat supper. 


End file.
